Shaq's Big Challenge

I am not usually one for reality TV shows - especially the crappy ones about dating or other nonsense - but last night I got sucked right into "Shaq's Big Challenge" when we were flipping through the channels before bed. I hadn't seen many commercials about it and really had a feeling it would mostly be about Shaq (who I am not a big fan of), but I was really wrong.

This was almost horrifying to watch. The kids on this show were not just overweight, they were classified as Morbidly Obese by weight standards. Every single one of these pre-teens and teens weighed more than I do - and I'm a grown woman who is nearly 6 feet tall. None of them could do sit ups and push ups, and they all failed the Presidential Fitness Test they were given.

The saddest part of the whole thing was that it seemed as if their parents were totally clueless as to the condition of their child or how they got there. One mother even said "I feel like I am partially to blame for this". No, seriously?? You must be kidding. You are not partially to blame, lady, you are fully to blame. Your 13 year old daughter doesn't have the money, the car, or the skills to get her own groceries -- she depends on you to do that. So, how is it that you're only PARTIALLY to blame? You bring the junk into the house, you fill her up on fast food and pizza on a daily basis because you're too "tired" or "overworked" to get a decent, healthy meal on the table. You let her sit on her butt after school and don't encourage her to exercise. This isn't just partially your fault, honey, it's all your fault.

I understand that some children have a predisposition to being heavier because of their genes, and I understand that today's society doesn't allow our kids to be able to play outside all day and only come home for meals, but that doesn't mean that there isn't anything we can do as parents. The thought of letting Brady out of my sight for hours on end and chance it that a serial killer/child molester/pervert would get a hold of him scares me to death - but I won't let him stay inside his whole life. He'll be enrolled in sports, we'll go to the park, we'll kick the soccer ball around the yard. He will NOT be sentenced to a life at home playing video games because I'm too scared of what will happen to him.

Speaking of the video games, the boy named Walter on the show was the perfect poster child for what's wrong with this country. The kid spends 5 hours PER DAY playing video games, in a recliner, 3 feet from his TV. He is socially stunted for a 15 year old and had the maturity level and social skills of a 7 year old. I had always known I didn't want to have video consoles be a babysitter for my kid - and now I'm seriously considering throwing whatever XBOX thing Patrick has out in the trash (he hasn't played it in almost a year anyway!). I will be like my cousin, Todd, and his wife and just plain not allow my kids to play video or computer games.

Before last night I really had an aversion to Shaq because I feel like he gets away with a lot of crap in the NBA due to his size, but I have a newfound respect for him for wanting to take this on. Childhood obesity is not just a problem, it's an epidemic in this country. I really believe that there is no more personal responsibility left in the world and parents feel like they can just do the minimal when it comes to their children, and when there's an issue, it's everyone else's fault.

I refuse to let that happen to my child - and I wish more people cared like Shaq to help stop this form of child abuse.

Teething Bites

I once saw a bib in Babies R Us that read that very statement.

I was pleasantly plump and pregnant at the time, took one glance, laughed, and walked away. I never knew that the silly statement on that bib would become the title of my life as it currently stands.

Brady is now cutting his 6th tooth, which is also known as tooth number 4 in three weeks. He does not seem to be handling these teeth as well as the others and his usual laughter and babbling has been replaced with incessant whining and humming. According to my mother, who has been through this three times, the humming vibration helps his gums. This is quite possibly the only thing that helps him right now because Tylenol, teething tablets, cold washcloths, frozen toys, and Orajel don't seem to be doing a damn thing.

He is currently refusing to nap, most likely because the pain in his gums keeps him from peaceful sleep during the day. I should be careful not to complain, because he does still sleep his regular 12 hours at night, so at least we have been good there. For the last 10 days, he has taken nothing but 30 - 40 minute naps, which means when he goes down I must rush to shower and dress before he wakes up -- or stuff my lunch in my mouth and throw a load of laundry in before he wants out of his crib.

I am beginning to think that I am being punished for something I did as a teenager. It would make perfect sense - payback for the crap I did to my parents is having a 6 month old teethe constantly for a month straight, right. What I can't figure out yet is whether or not this is payback for one certain thing I did, or my teen years as a whole. I'm hoping it's cumulative payback because if it's for only one thing, I hate to see what my other paybacks are going to be.

In some better news, Patrick finally made 2nd Class Petty Officer on Friday and I was there to pin his "crows" on. The best part of that whole thing is MO' MONEY! :) Also, my very own pat on the back is that I am now back in my size 6 jeans and I am SUPER happy. It only took 6 months...sheesh.